Flora of Australia

Description

The Flora of Australia is intended to provide, for the first time in over 100 years, a uniform description of the plants of Australia, with keys to enable them to be identified, and with information on the distribution and ecology of each taxon. In addition it will illustrate most genera and many species, and where appropriate, provide review essays of various aspects of the Australian flora. The text is designed to be used by all who have an interest in the flora, with technical terms kept to a minimum, a glossary, and succinct descriptions. Volume 1 comprises a series of review essays, setting the context for the rest of the Flora of Australia series. This second edition of the original introductory volume contains entirely new essays on many aspects of the flora, and Australian plant taxonomy. Included are essays on the history and bibliography of plant taxonomy, evolution of the climate and land forms, palaeobotany, the present climate and vegetation types, biogeography, utilisation and conservation of the Australian flora. This volume provides an introduction to the Australian vegetation, and to the Flora of Australia project. Complementing this volume is an Interactive Key to Australian Flowering Plant Families, produced by L.G.Adams & K.R.Thiele, which was published in July 1999. The Flora of Australia is a tool to be used by biodiversity managers, field naturalists, students, biologists and community groups, and an encyclopaedic work for botanists and plant enthusiasts. Front cover Front endpapers Frontispiece Copyright information CONTENTS CONTRIBUTORS TO VOLUME 1 ILLUSTRATORS PHOTOGRAPHERS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS FLORA EDITORIAL COMMITTEE COMMITTEE MEMBERS EXECUTIVE OFFICERS INTRODUCTION Previous floristic works on Australia Progress of the Flora of Australia Conventions and purpose Second Edition of Volume 1 Acknowledgments References A HISTORY OF SYSTEMATIC BOTANY INAUSTRALIA Western Australia Northern Territory South Australia Queensland New South Wales Australian Capital Territory Victoria Tasmania Botanists, collectors, early voyagers and other describers of Australian plants Brief biographical notes on the following botanists and collectors can be found as follows: Brief biographical notes on contemporary botanists can be found as follows: References Acknowledgments DEVELOPMENT OF THE FLORA OF AUSTRALIA PROJECT Historical background Bentham's Flora and plans for its revision National collaboration begins through ANZAAS The Academy of Science supports the cause Requirements for a viable Flora project A biological survey of Australia Interim Council of the Australian Biological Resources Study ABRS becalmed ABRS prepares for the Flora Permanent establishment of ABRS Flora of Australia project established Progress of the Flora of Australia project Current state of knowledge of the Australian flora Chronological list of ABRS publications in botany References CLASSIFICATION, PHYLOGENY AND THE FLORAOF AUSTRALIA Floras and the classification of plants System of classification Formal names Common names The background to phylogenetic classification Phylogenetic methods Difficulties with phylogenetic reconstruction True phylogeny unknowable Reticulation Abundant homoplasy Inadequate fossil record The impact of molecular data Should classification be phylogenetic or pragmatic? The system used in the Flora of Australia Current systems of Magnoliophyta References ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY 18th Century 1800–1850 1851–1900 1901–1950 1951–1970 1971–1980 1981–1990 1991–present EVOLUTION OF AUSTRALIAN ENVIRONMENTS Australian palaeogeography Palaeolatitudes Relations with other landmasses Amalgamations and drift Separations and drift Topography Elevation due to collision Elevation due to marginal rifting Evidence for past climates Indicators of palaeotemperature Oxygen isotopes Biological extrapolations Rock types Indicators of humidity and aridity Biological indicators Palaeosols Chronology of Australian climate change Australia in the Early Palaeozoic: low latitude climates Australia in the Late Palaeozoic: high latitude cooling and glaciation Australia in the Mesozoic – a totally different picture Triassic Jurassic Tertiary evolution of climates towards the present Palaeotemperatures during the Tertiary Precipitation history Summary Acknowledgments References PRESENT ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES ON THE AUSTRALIAN FLORA Portrait of a continent Location Southern Hemisphere: Oceanic Hemisphere Meridional position Position on Indo-Australian Plate Insularity Age Size Shape and physiognomy Climate Circulation Patterns Oceanic circulation Atmospheric circulation Rainfall patterns and seasonality Precipitation Seasonality The energy budget Insolation Temperature Variability and links to biota El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Bioclimatic interactions Landforms and soils Landforms Eastern Uplands Division Interior Lowlands Division Western Plateau Division Soils Principal soil types Links to flora and vegetation Vegetation Special features of the flora and its relationship to the vegetation Structural classification of vegetation Floristic classification of vegetation Pattern related to climate Tropical/Sub-tropical evergreen wooded vegetation Temperate forests, grasslands and shrubland Fire Role in the evolution of the flora People in the landscape Arrival and impacts of Aboriginal people European settlement Vegetation clearance Introduced species Disturbance Introductions affecting ecosystem functioning Land use and land tenure References EVOLUTION OF THE AUSTRALIAN FLORA: FOSSIL EVIDENCE Evolution of life in the Precambrian The origin of life Photosynthesis Eukaryotic organisation Multicellular life Australian early terrestrial floras (Silurian to Jurassic) Invasion of the land: the Late Silurian – Early Devonian Baragwanathia flora The first trees: the Middle Devonian to Early Carboniferous lycophyte flora The first crisis: the Late Carboniferous to Early Permian Gondwanan glaciation Post-glacial recovery: the Permian Glossopteris flora A second crisis: The Permian-Triassic extinction event Recovery and diversification in the Middle to Late Triassic: the Dicroidium flora Masters of the Jurassic: bennettitaleans, pentoxylaleans, and conifers The Cretaceous flora High latitude areas as regions of evolutionary novelty The role of disturbance in Gondwana and early angiosperm migration Plant growth at high southern latitudes The flora prior to angiosperm invasion (early Berriasian–Barremian) Early angiosperms in Australia (latest Barremian–Cenomanian) Differentiation of Gondwanan elements and evolution of Australian elements (Turonian–Maastrichtian) Cretaceous–Tertiary (K–T) boundary event Southern mid–high latitudinal phytogeographic region; source and dispersal corridor of austral plants Summary of Cretaceous vegetation The Australian Cainozoic The Tertiary timescale Regional geologic framework Palaeoclimatic data Major vegetation trends in the Tertiary Palaeocene Eocene Early Oligocene to Middle Miocene Quaternary Summary of Cainozoic vegetation Acknowledgments References BIOGEOGRAPHY OF THE TERRESTRIAL FLORA Description, narration and analysis History of biogeographic studies on the Australian flora J.D. Hooker and his legacy Continental drift: a new paradigm A diversification of approaches Cladistic biogeography Symposia Descriptive and narrative studies Studies on individual taxa Are general explanations possible in biogeography? Analytical studies in search of general pattern Invoking processes: palaeobotany, geology, ecophysiology and climate Hooker's elements today Diversity and endemism of the Australian flora Relationship of Australian flora to other floras Track analyses South Pacific track Equatorial track Trans-Indian Ocean track Pan-Temperate track Differentiation within the tracks South Pacific track Equatorial track Trans Indian Ocean track Pan-Temperate track Relationships among the four tracks Synthesis Phytogeography within Australia-New Guinea Biotic regions Tracks within Australia Continent-wide tracks Interpretation Small-scale tracks: phylogeographic studies within species Conclusion Acknowledgments References PRESENT VEGETATION TYPES Major vegetation types Closed-forests (tropical and temperate rainforests) Open-forests Woodlands Shrublands Grasslands Floristic classification of Australian vegetation Patterns at regional scales Aridity gradient Nutrient gradient Fire Grazing Salt gradient Introduced plants Summary and conclusions Acknowledgments References THE AQUATIC FLORA TERRESTRIAL WETLANDS AND WATERPLANTS Composition of the aquatic flora Adaptations to an aquatic environment General adaptations to an aquatic environment Special adaptations to a saltmarsh environment Classification Systematics Wetlands classification Descriptions of wetland types 1. Coastal wetlands (a) Upland swamps (b) Rivers and tributaries (c) Floodplain swamps and billabongs (d) Coastal lagoons and lakes (e) Estuaries 2. Mountain lakes and swamps (a) Perennial lakes (b) Perennial swamps (c) Ephemeral lakes/swamps 3. Inland rivers (a) Rivers (i) Perennial rivers, including anabranches. (ii) Ephemeral rivers. (b) Billabongs and floodplains (c) Swamps – overflow or terminating 4. Inland lakes 5. Mound springs 6. Man-made storages, canal systems, channels, drains, bores, bore-drains, farm storages, rice fields, storage swamps Biogeography The decline of wetland quality Ecological and environmental importance Conservation MANGROVES Diversity and distribution Ecology Threats and conservation THE MARINE ANGIOSPERMS Diversity and distribution Ecological importance Physical attributes Chemical attributes Biological attributes Seagrass loss Conservation value Acknowledgments References UTILISATION OF THE AUSTRALIAN FLORA Aboriginal use of native plants Bush foods Macadamia Wattleseed Medicinal plants Horticulture and floriculture The Nursery Industry The Cut Flower Trade Forestry Eucalyptus Paper Hardboard Timber Huon Pine Hoop Pine Cypress Pine Blackwood Other Acacia spp. Sandalwood Charcoal Firewood Native pasture and fodder Essential oils Eucalyptus Oil Tea-tree Oil Tropical Myrtaceae - Asteromyrtus, Callistemon, Melaleuca Boronia Tasmannia Olearia Sandalwood Native plants for revegetation Miscellaneous uses Honey Wattle Bark Brush Fencing Dye Plants Gums, Resins and Kinos Soap Making Sphagnum Moss References IMAGES OF AUSTRALIAN PLANTS References CONSERVING AUSTRALIA'S FLORA Introduction A very brief history of conservation reserves in Australia The current system of protected areas Commonwealth Australian Capital Territory New South Wales Northern Territory Queensland South Australia Tasmania Victoria Western Australia Collecting Permits, Import and Export Permits Acknowledgments References KEY TO FAMILIES OF FLOWERING PLANTS GLOSSARY A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Z Illustrations for glossary ABBREVIATIONS AND CONTRACTIONS Literature Herbaria States, Territories General abbreviations INDEX A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Back endpapers Back cover